Contract breakdown: Miami Dolphins’ Brent Grimes deal only guaranteed for two years

There’s been a lot of talk about how cornerbacks’ skills decline in the early 30s.

Recently re-signed Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes, 30, says he doesn’t look or feel like other players his age. But if he does decline, Miami has taken little risk with the way his deal has been structured.

Grimes’ 4-year $32 million deal is only guaranteed for two seasons at a total of $16 million. His base salary of $2.5 million in 2014 is fully guaranteed, and $7.5 million of his $8.5 million base salary in 2015 is guaranteed.

Like many of the Dolphins recent deals, Miami takes its biggest cap hit in year two. The team takes a $4 million cap hit this season for Grimes (still leaving Miami about $35 million under the cap) and then a $10 million cap hit in 2015.

If the Dolphins keep Grimes beyond 2015, it’s a $9.5 million cap hit in 2016 and $8.5 million hit in 2017. Of course, the Dolphins could also try to restructure with Grimes if they want to keep him in ’16 and ’17. If he’s released, for cap purposes the team would be responsible for $1.5 million for each of the last two seasons as part of his signing bonus.

Here’s the contract details:Signing bonus: $6 million. Grimes gets all the money upfront but for cap purposes it’s spread out over four years.